Supply Water Quality in Urban Bangladesh: A Case Study of Chittagong Metropolitan City
Drinking water quality in urban Bangladesh is at high risk. The port city of Chittagong is not only facing the problem of inadequate water supply but also serious threat due mainly to the scarcity of safe water. This paper attempts to characterize and analyze the supply water quality in Chittagong Metropolitan City (CMC) from health and environmental perspective using a set of parameters: physical, chemical and micro-biological. The paper focuses on key challenges facing the sector today, especially in the provision of urban water service delivery. The thrust there has been to identify weaknesses in current water supply management, and explore options to address the chronic lack of service provisions. The overall finding is that the dwellers of CMC have been suffering from irregular, inadequate and unsafe water supply due mainly because of inefficient management practices. The situation is worse in low income residential areas. Regular monitoring of water quality along the distribution networks, timely repair and maintenance, improving information systems, uses of advanced technology, provisions for staff training, awareness building among users and stakeholders, and promotion of community-based co-management governing systems have been strongly suggested.
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